Letters, April 25: Taxpayers deserve input into immigration

2013-04-24 16:07:10

LAGUNA WOODS, Jennifer Marks: The editorial, "Immigration reform worth doing right" [Commentary, April 21], makes a good point, that immigration reform should not be rushed. However, one thing missing from the "Gang of Eight" bill is input from taxpayers and ordinary citizens. The "Gang" has consulted with several special-interest groups, notably business and labor, but it has not consulted with general citizen groups.

Taxpayers and ordinary Americans are very impacted by illegal immigration. Taxpayers are hit with higher taxes to cover benefits for illegals and their children. Regular citizens are affected because their neighborhoods, schools and public safety are impacted.

The taxpayers have long been left out of decisions that affect their wallets and their quality of life, and it's time they had a seat at the table. Let's remind the "Gang of Eight" to obtain taxpayer input as they formulate their recommendations.

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CORONA DEL MAR, Bill Cool: The "Gang of Eight's" new bill, S.744, improves immigration standards by empathizing with educated and skilled workers who would contribute greatly to the economic well-being of our nation ["Immigration bill would boost security, Napolitano says," April 24]. What the senators are forgetting is that there are more than 20 million underemployed Americans still looking for full-time work.

Government statistics show that two-thirds of all new jobs in the past four years have gone to immigrants, primarily legal ones. S.744 would increase the number of immigrants by 50 percent over the next decade, not counting another 200,000 "temporary workers."

Our economy is a long way from full recovery and, yet, some members of Congress wish to increase the competition for jobs with a flood of foreign workers. If this proposal becomes law, it would hurt millions who are seeking employment, especially the poorest among us who have been hit the hardest by the recession.

Capistrano anachronisms

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, George W. Zeissner: Curiosity overwhelmed us, so my wife and I visited the San Juan Capistrano historic district to see the controversial dinosaur statue ["Dinosaur statue is no Godzilla," Local, April 5]. We have been following the story and shake our heads in disbelief over the council's poor decision to force the dinosaur's removal. We were impressed by the historic district and its modern food and items for sale. The entire area is well kept.

Now, about the so-called integrity of the historical district: We saw a railroad train ride, modern slides and playhouses, electricity use, modern plumbing and sewers, modern fencing, modern shade coverings and modern cash registers, none of which are in concert with the areas' historical roots.

Oh, well.

Our Prop. 13 protection

NEWPORT BEACH, Leslie Daigle, city councilmember: I appreciate the warning that Democrats have begun their march to dramatically increase property taxes by stripping away Proposition 13 protections ["Prop. 13: Stay the course," Editorial, April 17]. Prop. 13 was passed to prevent tax spikes that could force residents and businesses from their properties. Small businesses, commercial property owners and those on fixed incomes, including seniors, would be hurt by the state removing protections for Prop. 13.

Property tax is the top source of revenue for Newport Beach. It represents almost half (45.8 percent) of all general fund revenue. Consistent and vigorous demand for residential and commercial property has allowed the city to enjoy long-term growth trends with its No. 1 revenue source.

Assessed valuations fuel property taxes. Like many O.C. cities, property tax-assessed valuation and revenues have steadily increased for 15 years.

The spending frenzy

NEWPORT BEACH, Bruce Boyd: I very much appreciated Bob McCaffrey's comments on the "gross" spending on the Newport Beach City Hall ["Newport's 'Taj Mahal' spending outrageous," Opinion, April 23]. Sign me up for one of "Curry's mediocre cynics." No one at any level of government seems to be able to fight the infection of licentious spending with other people's money. I used to be proud of our City Hall and keeping our budget under control. But now I too have seen the light shined on the excess – lifeguards at $200,000 per year. Please.

Will everything in government have to go bust before we get it? It certainly looks that way. I predict that the outrageous pensions negotiated for police, fire departments and other government workers, in general, will eventually not be met.

When the choice becomes pay for my food and average retirement or pay for government workers' grandiose retirements – the choice will be easy. The union bosses can scream all they want about contracts. Texas is looking more attractive.

Talk radio hurts no one

TRABUCO CANYON, Don Cuzzocrea: Letter-writer Edward A. Sussman ["Driven to hate," April 21] again drags out the tired, old canard about talk radio being at the core of various hatreds perpetrated against the American people.

Foreign-born terrorists, of course, have their own fallacious reasons to kill and maim Americans, as seen last week in Boston. No American-born psychopathic mass murderer has ever been shown to be a devotee of talk radio, no matter how much the mainstream media has tried to prove that to be the case.

There is not even a scintilla of evidence to tie any crime whatsoever to talk radio, period. As for respecting the U.S. president's office, you can trace vitriolic attacks on every president back to our second president, John Adams. It is Sussman who displays ignorance of our history.

'Subjugator,' not 'savior'

MISSION VIEJO, Kris Diller: Guess what? The Boston bombers didn't have legal gun licenses – more fodder for rationalizing gun control? Certainly. But consider this: The entire city and surrounding areas were immobilized by law-enforcement officials hunting a 19-year-old fugitive, while Bostonians cowered in their households, basically submitting to an undeclared martial law.

Then the absconder was apprehended, and the people rejoiced, as if the government were their savior, when this same government actively seeks to undermine its citizens' Second Amendment rights, leaving them defenseless with no means of personal protection.

America: Wake up. This form of government is more your subjugator than your savior.

Sad truth about suicide

MISSION VIEJO, Carl McMillen: Regarding the O.C. firearm report: Mary Leigh Blek applauds the David Whiting article, "Suicides climb 20 percent in 4 years in county" [Letters, April 21], and is happy he has the courage to write the obvious: "One simple way to reduce suicides is to curtail access to firearms."

It is mind-boggling to me that there are people in this world who believe that those who are so despondent as to take their own lives would not do so if a firearm were not available.